1. Field of the Invention
Iron-aluminum alloys can be used in parts, which are thermally highly stressed and exposed to oxidizing and/or corroding effects, of thermal machines. They are intended as an increasingly significant replacement in that area for special steels and nickel-based superalloys.
2. Discussion of Background
In the literature article "Acceptable Aluminium Additions for Minimal Environmental Effect in Iron-Aluminium Alloys", Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 288, pp. 971-976, V. K. Sikka et al. describe an iron-aluminum alloy having a proportion of approximately 16 atom % of aluminum and approximately 5 atom % of chromium, which may contain, if required, approximately 0.1 atom % of carbon and/or zirconium and/or 1 atom % of molybdenum. The known alloy at room temperature has a considerably higher ductility compared to iron-aluminum alloys having an aluminum percentage of from 22 to 28 atom %. At a temperature of 700.degree. C., the tensile strength of this alloy, being approximately 100 MPa, is relatively small. Components made from the alloy should therefore not be used at temperatures above 700.degree. C.